Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) said today that Americans need to stand up to "a deliberate plan by the president of the United States" to collapse the nation's law enforcement system regarding illegal immigration.

In a Senate speech, Sessions said: "Our law enforcement system is in a state of collapse, and it's a deliberate plan by the president of the United States, and it's wrong. And, people need to be aware of it and need to stand up to it and I believe the American people are beginning to do so."...

Arizona passed some laws too, on illegal immigration and parts of those were also found Constitutional. Perhaps other localities could copy these laws?

We have three branches of government that are to provide checks and balances to the others, so this Senator can have at it, however, you won't find many Republicans pushing hard on the issue. The last President certainly didn't nor many other Republican Senators and Congressmen neither.

penned wrote:IkeMike, I'm sympathetic to many comments here, but I think you make an important point.... it is man who is responsible for his own actions! I agree that people abuse "God's Sovereignty" by saying, because its happening God ordained for it to happen. There are times when one is confronted with evil and must choose what they will do. Will they participate in such evil, does not the Psalms warn us about joining in with those who are planning (that is conspiring) to hurt and steal from the innocent? Are we not to shed light on the darkness? Christians are not fatalists who sit back and watch the darkness, God did not ordain for us to be the lazy masses yearning to be free of our responsibility. I do not believe the true remnant would behave in that manner.

Jim Lincoln wrote:I never remember Bush Jr., being anxious to enforce immigration laws. Oh, states and even communities can act on their own, if necessary,.. After Four Years, Nebraska Town Finally Ready To Enforce Immigration Law

It can happen to the elect, and those who imagine they are elect. Typical examples of the second group are the genealogical salvationists in the gospel accounts, known as Pharisees. "We be not born of fornication...."

John UK wrote:Those who focus on what is at the back of conversion, tend to lose complete sight of the gospel message itself, and reduce Christianity to an intellectual exercise, similar in many ways to modernism and higher criticism

Sinners under a conviction of sin by the Holy Ghost may feel so lost, undeserving, and hopeless, that they may take some convincing that God loves them and is willing to save them. They feel the guilt of sin, their ungodliness, their enslavement to sin, their responsibility for having deliberately gone against God and rejected his Son.

The text may serve as a reminder that God is willing and able to save, that he now commandeth all men everywhere to repent, that he desires not the death of the wicked, and his word through his Son is "Repent ye and believe the gospel."

Some will ignore God's command and perish in their sins. Others will hearken to him and find themselves forgiven and given eternal life.

THE GOSPEL is far more important than the mechanics.

Those who focus on what is at the back of conversion, tend to lose complete sight of the gospel message itself, and reduce Christianity to an intellectual exercise, similar in many ways to modernism and higher criticism.

God's desire is that men truly repent and turn around, revealing the genuineness of their repentance by a change of life consistent with scripture.

Mike wrote:1) Thanks for the response, Lurker. I do have one question. The first def I don't see, perhaps you will clarify?

2) The verse aims the longsuffering "to us-ward," not toward those who are going to suffer wrath and judgment.

Sure Mike,

1) Thayer's lexicon:

B.to be patient in bearing the offenses and injuries of others

i.to be mild and slow in avenging

ii.to be longsuffering, slow to anger, slow to punish

This seems an appropriate meaning since the next verse Peter speaks of the coming of the day of the Lord (vengeance).

2) "but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

I have to believe that "us-ward" and "all" both point to all the Father gave to the Son; i.e. the sum of His inheritance. If "us-ward" meant the audience of Peter's letter at the time it was written then that implies some of his audience had not yet come to repentance which is contradictory to his greeting.....

2Pe 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ:

That's how I see it but would be interested to hear your thoughts if different.

Lurker wrote:Good questions, Mike. Predestination and election are over-complicated by Calvinism, IMO. John 6:39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.All who will be raised to eternal life on the last day belonged to the Father and were given to the Son, to redeem in time, before He spoke the words we read above.Longsuffering means slow to wrath and judgment which is what the day of the Lord holds in store. He is longsuffering because not all given to the Son has been redeemed.

Thanks for the response, Lurker. I do have one question. The first def I don't see, perhaps you will clarify? The verse aims the longsuffering "to us-ward," not toward those who are going to suffer wrath and judgement.

IkeMike wrote:John UK,How can you further interpret 2 Peter 3:9?It states CLEARLY that God is not willing for ANY to perish. And that ALL should come to repentance.

IkeyMikey or whatever is your real name. Take a close look at that verse and see who he is referring to: "longsuffering to USWARD"; who is the USWARD there. Go back to the beginning of 2 Peter: to see who he is writing to. It is to believers, 1 Peter calls them the Elect according to the foreknowledge of God,

2 Peter 1:1 KJV[1] Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: